How to Spot Trends Before They Go Mainstream

💡 How to Spot Trends Before They Go Mainstream

🗂 Overview:

Recently I learned that the complexity of pop music can predict stock market performance, and the next day I also saw that s*x workers can predict market crashes.

And as it turns out “hippies” have a pretty good track record of predicting product and consumer trends before they go mainstream.

Don’t believe me? Check out a small list of examples (with proof) below.

⭐️ Examples:

• Weed & CBD - Proof

• Yoga and Meditation - Proof

• Plant-Based Diets & Veganism - Proof

• Thrift Shopping - Proof

• Sustainable Fashion - Proof

• Solar Power Use - Proof

• Psychedelic Therapy - Proof

• Tiny Homes - Proof

• Shipping Container Homes - Proof

• Natural Body Care - Proof

• Essential Oils - Proof

• Birkenstocks - Proof

• Kombucha - Proof

• Van Life - Proof

• Communal Living - Proof

All of these industries are now worth billions with many expected to continue growing at impressively fast rates but not so long before these took off they were fringe “hippie” practices.

🧐 Opportunities:

Opportunity #1: Forever Chemicals

Here’s a great video from John Oliver breaking down PFAS.

Forever Chemicals (or PFAS) essentially never break down in natural environments.

They are found in products like non-stick cookware, stain-resistant fabrics and carpets, food packaging, electronics, plastic bottles and many more.

They’ve been known to cause cancer, immune system disorders, reproductive and developmental issues, and liver/kidney diseases.

Almost everyone in the world today has PFAS in their blood, even unborn babies.

This trend has been around for a while now but it continues to gather momentum thanks to TikTok and mainstream media.

It’s a huge problem and there have recently been calls to ban these types of chemicals in certain products across Europe and the USA.

Products you could sell that explicitly exclude PFAS are:

• Cookware

• Outdoor Apparel

• Athletic Apparel

• Children’s Clothes

• Baby Products (Bootles, Food, Toys)

• Skincare

Opportunity #2: Tiny Homes

House prices continue to increase and it’s becoming more and more difficult for first-home buyers to get on the ladder (here’s a video breaking that down for anyone sceptical of that).

This has led many people to seek alternative opportunities, one of them being Tiny Homes.

There’s a massive demand for Tiny Homes on Airbnb - check it out.

Unyoked offers off-grid tiny homes ideal for weekend getaways, they raised $28m to expand from Australia into Europe.

This Tiny Home Airbnb makes $550k a year.

Here’s how you can be a part of this trend:

• Tiny Home Airbnbs

• Tiny Home Construction Company

• Tiny Home Financing

• Tiny Home Communities

Opportunity #3: Barefoot Lifestyle

Barefoot shoes and the barefoot lifestyle are part of a movement that emphasizes a more natural approach to walking and running, promoting health benefits that come from less restricted foot movements.

It encompasses a philosophy geared towards engaging more naturally with one's environment and body.

Proponents of barefoot shoes and the barefoot lifestyle argue several health benefits:

• Improved Posture and Balance: Minimalist shoes can help train the body to improve balance and posture alignment naturally.

• Reduced Foot Problems: By allowing the foot to move naturally and not constraining it within tight shoes, proponents believe it can help reduce the incidence of common foot problems like bunions, hammertoes, and plantar fasciitis.

• Increased Foot Strength: Regular barefoot activity is touted to strengthen the muscles, tendons, and ligaments of the foot and ankle, contributing to overall foot health.

VivoBarefoot sells shoes designed to mimic the experience of walking and running barefoot, enhancing posture, optimizing biomechanical benefits, and bettering overall health. They project revenues of £94m in 2024. They sold just under a million pairs of shoes in 2023.

Opportunity #4: Green Roofs

Green roofs, also known as living roofs, are covered with vegetation and soil, or a growing medium, planted over a waterproofing membrane. They are an innovative and eco-friendly alternative to conventional roofing.

Green roofs not only contribute to aesthetic improvements but also offer a range of environmental, economic, and social benefits:

1. Thermal Insulation:

   • Reduced Heat Loss: Green roofs add insulation that retains heat during cold months, reducing energy needs for heating and cutting costs.

   • Cooling Properties: In warmer months, the vegetation cools buildings naturally through evapotranspiration, which is beneficial in urban areas with higher temperatures due to the urban heat island effect.

2. Energy Efficiency:

   • Enhances thermal regulation, leading to lower energy use for heating and cooling. This reduction in energy demand also decreases carbon emissions.

3. Durability of Roofing:

   • Protects against UV radiation and temperature extremes, extending roof life and potentially reducing maintenance costs.

4. Stormwater Management:

   • Absorbs and retains significant stormwater, reducing runoff and lowering flood risks, this is particularly important in regions prone to flooding.

5. Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services:

   • Supports urban biodiversity by providing habitats for various wildlife, enhancing ecological health in densely populated areas.

6. Air Quality Improvement:

   • Plants capture pollutants and carbon dioxide, improving surrounding air quality, especially in cities with high pollution levels.

   • Important to note that air pollution is the 3rd biggest killer globally (more on that here).

7. Noise Reduction:

   • Offers excellent sound insulation, reducing noise penetration through the roof, this is beneficial in noisy urban settings.

Another benefit is that (depending on where you are) you don’t need planning permission.

The UK has some of the worst-insulated houses in Europe and poor insulation is a big topic. So I see this trend being particularly big in markets like the UK with older houses and cold environments where green roofs can be retro-fitted to existing properties.

If you’re into service-based businesses, having a green roof installation company could be a very lucrative business in the next few years.

Opportunity #5: Homemade Plant Milk

With the popularity of Almond Milk, Oat Milk and other Dairy alternatives, Homemade Plant Milk Kits & Recipes could be a good opportunity to expand on that market.

• It’s surprisingly easy to make.

• In some cases, it can be a lot cheaper than buying it from the store.

• You control what goes into it and you don’t get the added preservatives.

• You can add your own custom ingredients to the recipes to improve the flavour or consistency.

• There is less waste and energy involved.

📈 Trends

Here are some more trends I didn’t have time to explore:

• Digital Detox Retreats: Destinations specifically designed for disconnecting from digital devices to focus on work, productivity or mental health.

• Zero-Waste Home Essentials: Products that reduce household waste.

• Smart Grid Communities: Neighborhoods designed to optimally distribute locally generated renewable energy.

• Eco-Bartering: Trading goods and services without money, focusing on sustainable exchanges.

• Mushroom Leather: Using fungal mycelium to create sustainable, biodegradable leather alternatives.

🛠 How to Build:

Research

Become an expert in your chosen industry - learn exactly what’s better about this product/service/technique and why.

Validate the Idea

Do market research and determine if it’s not only in-demand but also scalable.

Business Model

Determine how to structure your business - for example, will it be a service-based business, subscription, direct-to-consumer, wholesale, consultation, etc.

Product Development

Develop your product or service offering. Ensure it’s sustainable and high-quality.

Launch, Test & Iterate

Start small with a soft launch to a limited audience to test and refine your approach. Use customer feedback to improve your product and customer service.

🚀 How to Grow:

Short-Form Content

As these are still fairly unknown ideas/concepts, you need to produce content that educates consumers on the existence and benefits of any of these opportunities.

Long-Form Content

We’ve all seen how podcasts from people like Joe Rogan and Andrew Huberman can help brands and health trends explode in popularity.

Becoming an expert in the field and going on podcasts or having your own podcast, releasing books, having a blog and newsletter or even just longer-form YouTube videos can have a big impact in helping educate the masses on the problems your products solve.

Influencers

If you want to make your chosen trend mainstream, you need to get people with high authority in your industry involved. For example, Athletic Greens & Andrew Huberman have had an incredible partnership.

Community Building

Create a community around your brand, through social media groups or dedicated online forums. This allows enthusiasts to share their experiences, tips, and testimonials. You can also find relevant Reddit sub and add value to those spaces.

Affiliate Marketing

Implement an affiliate marketing program to incentivize bloggers, influencers, and customers to promote your products. This not only broadens your reach but also aligns with the community-driven aspect of the brand, giving a commission back to your most loyal supporters.

Strategic Brand Collaborations

Partner with other brands that share a similar customer base but do not offer competing products. For example, a green roofing company could partner with a solar company. Such collaborations can introduce your products to a like-minded audience.

SEO and Content Marketing

Develop a robust SEO strategy focused on keywords that potential customers might use to find solutions your products provide. Combine this with a content marketing strategy that addresses common questions, concerns, and the lifestyle benefits of your products.

🗞️ Things worth checking out

The best businesses solve specific problems. I’ve created an ever-expanding database of problems that are begging for a better solution.

Are you tired of wasting time and resources on business ideas that just don’t stick? It’s not because you’re not smart or hardworking - it's because you’re not focused on solving the right problems.

This database takes the guesswork out of entrepreneurship. Instead of sifting through endless ideas, you’ll have access to a curated list of high-potential problems that are begging to be solved.

Here's what you get:

• Problems & pain points

• Potential solutions

• Competitive analysis

• Research to back it all up

Benefits:

• Focused Strategy: Direct your efforts toward problems with proven demand and strong potential for success.

• Time Savings: Cut down on research time with ready-made competitive analysis and research.

• Lifetime Access: As new problems and opportunities emerge, you’ll be the first to know, without paying a penny more.

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